The Burmese Army has been allowing only Chinese businessmen to grow poppy to generate regular opium tax from them in Burma’s Northern Kachin State, said sources close to Burmese military bases.

Hundreds of acres of poppy fields owned by over 30 Chinese businessmen in Nahpaw and Pajau Bum in Waingmaw Township, former headquarters of Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) fell to the Burmese Army in 1989. They are owned by Chinese businessmen, who are only authorized to grow poppy by Burmese army battalions. Troops are deployed in rotation every three or four months, said hired workers in the Chinese poppy fields.

Eyewitnesses told KNG today, that the poppy fields can be seen around the Burmese military bases in the former KIO headquarters and nearby areas controlled by the army.

Ethnic Kachins and other races in Kachin State are not allowed to grow poppy and every Burmese Army battalion in the mountain range prohibits Kachins saying “We don’t want to see a single Kachin crossing the army base,” according to hired workers in the poppy fields.

All poppy field owners and workers have to cross the Burmese Army base to go to their poppy fields, workers said.

Every army battalion posted for three or four months in the Nahpaw-Pajau army base, demand between 4 million Kyat to 15 million Kyat (US$4,167 – $15,625) as one-time tax from all poppy field owners around the base.

Since a couple of weeks ago, the Dawhpumyang-based Burmese Army No. 142 Infantry Battalion (IB) commanded by Lt-Col Khin Maung Win has arrived in the military base in the Nahpaw-Pajau poppy field area. It has demanded 15 million Kyat (US$15,625) as poppy tax from fields owners, said sources close to the army battalion.

The poppy is bearing buds and the opium will be harvested next month, according to locals.

Chinese businessmen in Kachin State and from neighboring China’s Yunnan province are attracted by the terms of the Burmese Army base and grew poppy in November last year and will harvest it in February, after the Namti-based Burmese Army No. 382 Light Infantry Battalion (LIB) took over duty in that base.

Sometimes, some poppy fields near the military base are destroyed by the military, when senior officers visit.  But the military base demands opium tax even from owners whose fields are destroyed, added sources close to poppy field owners.

On December 14 last year, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reported that opium cultivation in Burma increased in the third straight year, especially in Kachin State and Shan State.

The UNODC said Kachin and Wa rebels sell drugs to buy weapons but the agency’s report was denied by KIO and United Wa State Army (UWSA), who rejected the disarmament plan of the ruling junta.